Loving God Revisited :: By Dennis Huebshman
Matthew 22:37-40; “And He said to him; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend on all the law and the prophets.” This is also found in Mark 12:28-31 and Luke 10:27. (ESV – all emphasis is mine)
Our Heavenly Father loves us more than we could ever understand. He gives us every chance possible to reach eternal Salvation. In 2 Peter 3:8-9, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
He is specific as to what it takes to be saved and to have eternal life in Heaven. Romans 10:9-13 bears repeating here; “because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
We are told in no uncertain terms that we cannot do works or ever buy or earn our way into Salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9; “for by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Receive and accept Jesus. That is our key message for our Salvation. In Romans 10:9 and 10, we’re told we must confess with our mouths. Please understand that our Heavenly Father does not disqualify anyone who is physically unable to speak, or anyone who is mute, saying they cannot reach Salvation. He knows our every thought.
First, let’s review Psalm 94:11; “The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.”
Next, 1 Corinthians 2:11; “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the Spirit of that person, which is in him? So no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” This is the Holy Spirit who indwells every person who has received and accepted Jesus.
Before Solomon became king, David advised him in 1 Chronicles 28:9; “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”
God hates sin, no matter how large or how small. He knows that we all will sin until we take our last breath on this earth. Every one of us inherited that trait from the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
However, for all who have received and accepted His Son, He provides a means of receiving forgiveness. Looking at 1 John 1:8-9, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Our Father goes above and beyond any expectation for mercy and forgiveness that we could ever deserve. Isaiah 38:17, Isaiah 44:22, Jeremiah 31:34, and especially Psalm 132:11-12 all tell us of His mercy toward us who are part of our Savior’s flock. All who were in His will prior to Calvary passed from this earth into a place of peace. This is evidenced by the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. For everyone who passed after Calvary to the present, who received and accepted Jesus as their Savior, their souls are with the Lord (Philippians 1:23 and 2 Corinthians 5:8).
He expects us to love our brothers and sisters as well. One point here: Jesus loved everyone for their immortal and eternal soul, and He accepted all who truly called on Him to be their Savior. For all those who would not accept Him, such as the majority of the Pharisees and Sadducees, He showed that He did not personally like them, but there was no hate in His heart toward them. He told them exactly where they would be headed if they did not change their ways. Had they repented and accepted Him, He would have gladly forgiven them.
About five years ago, I wrote a message about loving God and loving each other. This current message is a revisit as a reminder for all of us that our time here is getting very short. The only major prophetic events left before the end of this era are the Rapture, followed by the seven-year tribulation/wrath. The last event will usher in a time that will be worse than anything this earth has ever experienced so far. All the signs are here that tell us the last days of this age are about over.
In 1997, Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote a beautiful Gospel Hymn titled, “Loving God, Loving Each Other.”
Refrain) Loving God – Loving each other, making music with my friends. Loving God, Loving each other, and the music never ends.
1.) They pushed back from the table to listen to His words, His secret plan before He had to go. It’s not complicated; Don’t need a lot of rules. This is all you need to know. (refrain)
2.) We tend to make it harder, build steeples out of stone, filled with explanations of the Way. But if we’d stop and listen and break a little bread, we would hear the Master say. (refrain)
Please know that, as stated in 2 Peter 3:9, our Father wants no one to fail. However, He will force no one to receive and accept His Son. It is left up to each individual to make that decision. Jesus knew that more would accept this world than would accept Him, as evidenced by His statement in Matthew 7:13-14 referencing the wide and narrow paths.
One final disclaimer: I have had people tell me they have sinned so badly that they could never be forgiven. What part about “All who call on the name of the Lord will be Saved” doesn’t make sense? Jesus came to provide a pathway for all sinners to be able to repent and be saved and spend eternity with Him.
Our Heavenly Father allowed “temporary” sacrifices prior to His Son being crucified. However, the blood of bulls and goats could never take away our sins (Hebrews 10:4). Only pure, sinless human blood could do that, and there was only one “sinless human” that ever lived on this earth, and that was Jesus, His Son.
Our Heavenly Father does not lie (Titus 1:2). He wants us to spend eternity with Him, or He would’ve never given us His “Love Letter” – the Bible.
For anyone reading this, if you haven’t made a decision to receive and accept Jesus as your Savior, please know that we are not guaranteed another day here. Now would be a great time to call out and ask Jesus to forgive you, and for Him to please add you to His precious flock. Once you take your last breath here, your eternity is set. There will be no forgiveness at the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15.
When the Trumpet of God sounds, and there is a shout from an archangel, I hope to see you when we get into the presence of our Savior. That will be within a twinkling of an eye, which does not give time to call out to be saved when the Rapture takes place.
It isn’t too early to get your reservation in. Maranatha – Come Lord Jesus!
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